Category Archives: Animal Advocacy

1. Keep the treat bowl up high and away from Fido and Fluffy – chocolate can be very dangerous for dogs and candies which contain artificial sweeteners can also cause problems. If think your dog or cat has gotten into the trick-or-treat haul and is acting unusual call your veterinarian.

2. If you are planning an incredible front yard display to scare the neighbourhood children make sure that power cords, wires and other decorations are kept out of reach of pets.

3. Place your lit pumpkins in a place where your pet can’t knock them over – kittens can be especially curious. To be especially caution you can purchase battery operated tea lights for your pumpkins.

4. As fun as dressing your dog or cat up can seem – it’s not always fun for them. If you do choose to dress your animal up see how they respond to the…

Hallowe’en is not for pets.
Loud noises from fire-crackers, doorbells, and excited costumed children at their door are all strange and frightening to dogs and cats. Injuries or worse can easily happen when dogs or cats escape from the house or your control and dart into traffic. Unfortunately there have been cases reported where dogs were so panicked they have jumped through windows and screen doors. Farm animals can stampede and injure themselves. Pets and animals can become so startled they could run off and you may never see them again.
Whether you are going out trick-or-treating or handing out treats at the door, protect your dogs and cats by keeping them inside, and keep farm animals in the barn. Dogs in costumes are cute but… they will be at a disadvantage when encountering another dog with their communication skills inhibited and a fight could erupt. So, dress them up…

This BSPCA notice can be seen on the door of the owner of the German Shepherd found in the dumpster in Kitsilano

Photograph by: Submitted , Vancouver Sun

VANCOUVER — Vancouver police arrested on an unrelated charge the owner of the German shepherd who died last week after being discovered in a dumpster with serious injuries.

Police arrested Brian Whitlock in Vancouver today for an outstanding criminal harassment warrant dating back to an April 4 incident, but while in custody SPCA investigators plan to interview him about his dog Captain’s death.

“It’s preliminary to come to any conclusions in this case, but we’re pleased we’re now able to have the opportunity to speak with him,” said Marcie Moriarty, the SPCA’s manager of cruelty investigations. “What I can say is that we haven’t received the final necropsy report that would absolutely rule out something like [Captain] being hit by a car -which is highly unlikely.”

Until the necropsy proves beyond a reasonable doubt that a human killed Captain, no charges will be laid Moriarty said.

Captain was suffering from serious cuts and bruises and was likely quadriplegic by the time he was rescued from a dumpster in Kitsilano on the 1400 block of Maple Street last Wednesday. On Thursday night he died of a heart attack, despite B.C. SPCA staff giving him CPR for more than 30 minutes.

Captain was discovered wrapped in a bloody blanket that covered his bruises and cuts — he was also underweight. A vet exam showed he had spinal cord damage and air around his lungs and was not likely to recover.

Meanwhile, a vigil for the two-year-old dog at 7 p.m. this evening brought hundreds out to a Kitsilano Beach.

Waving posters voicing their support for the German shepherd and the SPCA, people walked their pooches down to Hadden Park, one of Vancouver’s 35 off-leash dog parks.

Captain had more than one owner, according to information stored on the dog’s microchip, Moriarty said. The canine was once a police dog candidate but deemed too friendly, the SPCA said Thursday.

Under the Criminal Code, the maximum penalty for animal cruelty causing death is up to five years in jail and a lifetime ban on owning pets. A fine of up to $10,000 can also be imposed.

An online campaign has raised over $67,000 as of this evening for the B.C. SPCA’s investigation into Captain’s injuries.

“We are so grateful for the outpouring of love and the offers of help we have received for this poor dog and for the support we receive for the thousands of other animals who suffer abuse and violence,” said Moriarty. “The reality is our constables do their work because donors pay for them to do the work. And we couldn’t investigate the 7,000 animal cruelty complaints a year . . . without the 100 per cent donor support.”

Donations to the organization’s cruelty investigations department can be made through their website at spca.bc.ca or by calling 604-681-7271.

VANCOUVER — The two-year-old German Shepherd left for dead in a dumpster Wednesday died of a heart attack this evening around 6 p.m.

B.C. SPCA staff gave the dog CPR for more than 30 minutes, but couldn’t revive the canine. “We did everything in our power to save him, but his injuries were just too serious,” said Marcie Moriarty, manager of cruelty investigations, in an SPCA media release.

The dog was suffering from serious cuts and bruises and was likely quadriplegic by the time it was rescued from a dumpster in Kitsilano on the 1400 block of Maple Street Wednesday.

“The dog has been in critical condition since we rescued him but we were hoping for a miracle that just didn’t come,” Moriarty said.

The SPCA will now try to collect forensic evidence relating to the dog’s injuries and continue investigating who did this. The organization said in the release that it does know the identity of the dog’s owner.

“We can’t rule out the possibility he was hit by a car, but evidence is suggesting it was caused by a person. He didn’t jump into the dumpster himself,” Moriarty said.

He was underweight and wrapped in a bloody blanket covering his bruises and lacerations. A vet exam showed the dog has spinal cord damage and air around his lungs and was not likely to recover.

The SPCA with Vancouver Police have identified the animal’s owner but have not made contact yet, Moriarty said. He has had more than one owner, according to information stored on the dog’s microchip.

The canine was once a police dog candidate but deemed too friendly, the SPCA said Thursday.

Under the Criminal Code, the maximum penalty for animal cruelty causing death is up to five years in jail and a lifetime ban on owning pets. A fine can also be imposed of up to $10,000.00

“We are so grateful for the outpouring of love and the offers of help we have received for this poor dog and for the support we receive for the thousands of other animals who suffer abuse and violence,” says Moriarty. Moriarty said donations to the organization’s cruelty investigations department can be made through their website at spca.bc.ca or by calling 604-681-7271.

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“As children tremble and fear everything in the blind darkness, so we in the light sometimes fear what is no more to be feared than the things children in the dark hold in terror…” – Lucretius, On the Nature of Things

Viennese physician Franz-Joseph Gall (1758-1828) believed that organs on the surface of the brain affected the shape and contours of the skull. From this idea he proposed that one could measure skulls to predict personality, intelligence and even morality. [1]

Nowadays most people are smart enough to dismiss someone trying sell the idea that the bumps on your skull were indicative of personality traits. But not when it comes to dogs. Governments all over the world have made passed laws discriminating against dogs, all based on the shape of the skull.

Phrenology is back in full force, we now call it Breed Specific Legislation.

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The SPCA is hoping to save the two-year-old German Shepherd found abused, underweight, and near death in a Vancouver dumpster on Wednesday. Photograph by: Handout , SPCA VANCOUVER — The two-year-old German Shepherd left for dead in a dumpster … Continue reading →

Poor Lennox was euthanized after being found guilty of being the size of pit bull type dogs but had never bitten or been aggressive, what a travesty! We all must agree to realistic guidelines that will prevent this from happening ever again. The news article below is a step in the right direction, IMO!

By Jeremy Deutsch – Kamloops This Week
Published: February 23, 2011 6:00 PM Updated: February 23, 2011 6:23 PM The Kamloops SPCA is wagging its tail in approval of tougher city bylaws concerning aggressive dogs. The local SPCA said it supports several new rules that will require aggressive dogs to wear electronic microchip identification and a restriction in leash length to two metres. “Any measures like that are good,” said Charleen Halloway, the Kamloops SPCA’s manager, adding the new rules should help in controlling an aggressive dog. “I think it’s great the city is looking at ways to keep the public safe, as well as the dog.” However, she said proper dog training and an owner’s understanding of what potentially triggers the aggression is another important part of the issue that still needs to be addressed. Included in the city’s new bylaw is a restriction to keep aggressive dogs from being in off-leash dog parks and a change in the way the city refers to problem dogs — to “aggressive” from “dangerous.” The city spent six months reviewing its dog responsibility and control bylaw, which was first adopted in 2004. Since the original bylaw was adopted, the city has deemed 17 dogs dangerous — a total of five in 2011 so far — but has never taken the steps to have one destroyed. The city deals with an average of 128 files per year relating to aggressive dogs. As for the SPCA, Halloway noted the shelter deals with very few aggressive-dog calls. Instead, she said many owners contact the organization seeking advice on how to deal with aggressive behaviour before an incident occurs. “People really don’t want those behaviours to continue in their dogs, so they’re seeking out advice on how to manage that,” she said. The number of dangerous dogs in the city represents fewer than one per cent of the 7,517 dogs registered in Kamloops.